Disclaimer: I wish I owned RK. I WISH . . .

Okay, I know I didn't wait that long to give you guys a chance to review. But oh well. Next chapter.

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My mind was set on Kaoru. No perverted thoughts . . . for once . . . Actually more on why I hadn't seen her since our little 'surprise' that morning. I began to worry, began to feel like leaving the dojo was a bad idea. You know, in case she was in trouble or something of that sort.

My thoughts were disrupted when we reached the Akabeko. I heard a familiar laugh, Kaoru's and very annoying one. One that I remember from the party. One that belonged to (dun dun dun duuuuuun) . . . Junior . . .

I pushed open the curtains, looking immediately for something hard, pointed if necessary, to smack him with. No luck was what I recieved.

Junior looked up and smiled lopsided. "Kenshin, over here!" he yelled, like we'd been friends for years. My insides boiled at the way Kaoru was looking at him. You know, one of those dreamy looks. She was looking at him sideways, her right cheek resting on her hand as she leaned over the table, as if to get a better look of him.

"Hello, Junior, how're you this fine morning?" I asked.

"Fine Kenshin," he responded. Like I give a fly'n fart . . . He stood and bowed politely. "Thanks for asking." Not welcome . . . "And how're you may I ask?" That's MY line . . .

The blood from the tip of my scalp and down began to boil at an unbelievably high temperature. I began to feel the pain that Shishio must've undergone when he burned to death.

"Why, Kenshin, what a surprise," came the way friendly voice of Tae. No offense to her or anything, but I'm seriously getting tired of it. Can't that woman be negative?

I turned without a trace of my annoyance and slapped a big rurouni smile on my face. "Why, hello there, Tae. It feels as though I haven't seen you in ages."

She looked confused. "Oh, but, you just saw me last night . . ." I heard the sense of hurt in her voice.

"No, that's not what I meant. See, we didn't talk very much last night, so it kinda felt like we hadn't seen each other in so long. But now that you mention it-" . . . I kinda got lost in my ramblings after that.

Thankfully, Kaoru cut in before I bored Tae to death. "Thank you Tae-san for inviting me over for breakfast this morning."

She shook her head. "Oh, no bother." I could've sworn I heard her mumble something about her just not wanting to let Kaoru cook us a deadly concoction . . .though I could be wrong . . . COULD be . . .

I had forgotten Junior was still there until I heard his shoes scrap the wooden floor.

"If you'll excuse me, I have an important business matter to attend to at the moment." I raised an eyebrow.

"Business?" I asked, feeling foolish. From the looks I was receiving, I could tell I had said the wrong thing.

Junior looked quite surprised. "Yes, remember? I had told you the night before that I work for the government here in Japan now. I was transferred over here by my own government in American. Remember? I was telling you and Kaoru about it last night."

My face went hot. Not because he was hired by the government but by the fact he called Kaoru-dono KAORU. How rude can you be?

"Oh, yes, I remember now," I said through clenched teeth. No one noticed it. Same as no one noticed me TALKING because everyone was walking JUNIOR to the DOOR.

Kaoru looked especially happy to walk him out. "Bye Junior!" she called to him, waving her hand in the air.

. . . She never waved at me when I went away on government business.

I looked down at the shiny floor with a big lip and watery eyes.

"Oh, get a hold of yourself man!" my reflection said to me.

"But Kaoru likes Junior."

"But Kaoru likes Junior'" it mimicked. It laughed and returned its attention on me. "You're pathetic."

I looked down at myself and realized that my science-startling talking reflection was right. I AM pathetic. And insane if you consider the fact that I was talking back to it out loud.

"But what do I do?" I asked helplessly. Stop laughing. You talk to yourself in the mirror everyday I bet. Actually . . . I can't bet. I've only got 1 yen . . .

"You do what any man would," he said simply.

"And that's . . ?"

My reflection began to move its head around in an annoying way. Kinda like he had an inch he couldn't reach . . . "You ask her out!"

I know that I shouldn't be listening. Especially to this reflection that oddly resembled Battousai.

"Why should I listen to you? You're Battousai."

"Yes. The same Battousai who had Tomoe and plenty of other women follow me around like a puppy on a leash." I was upset by what he said of Tomoe. I was about to defend her name when I felt a delicate touch on my shoulder.

I turned around and saw Kaoru's enormous blue eyes looking at me with happiness.

"Guess what, Kenshin?" she asked, looking excited. Before I could answer, she interrupted me, "Junior just asked me to go with him to Tanabata night!" She began jump and down.

I looked down at my reflection. "Now what?" He smiled.

"This is where your old assassin skills come into play." I gulped. I had a bad feeling that someone was gonna be hurt. And It was gonna be me.

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Yes, short. I realize that. But hey, I didn't update after 3 months, now did I?